Annual General Meeting 2017 of Barry Callebaut AG

Press Release

Annual General Meeting 2017 of Barry Callebaut AG

Press Release
All motions approved by shareholders
  • Patrick De Maeseneire reelected as Chairman
  • Elio Leoni Sceti elected as new Board member
  • Board honored Andreas Schmid and Wai Ling Liu who had decided to step down
  • Dividend payout of CHF 20.00 per share approved
  • KPMG AG, Zurich, reelected as auditors of the company

The ordinary Annual General Meeting 2017 of Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, was held today in Zurich-Oerlikon under the chairmanship of Patrick De Maeseneire, Chairman of the Board, and Jakob Baer, Vice-Chairman of the Board. 1,174 shareholders attended the meeting, representing 4,575,977 shares and equaling 83.37% of the issued share capital.

All motions were adopted as proposed by the Board of Directors, including the reelection of Patrick De Maeseneire as Chairman and the election of Elio Leoni Sceti as new Board member. 

Annual General Meeting 2017 of Barry Callebaut AG

The Board of Directors also honored the two Board members who had decided to step down: Andreas Schmid, who retired after 20 years on the Board of Barry Callebaut, of which six years as Chairman, and three years also CEO, and nine years as Vice-Chairman, as well as Wai Ling Liu, member of the Board since 2014. The Board of Directors expressed its sincere gratitude to Andreas Schmid for his passion for Barry Callebaut and his outstanding contribution to the development of the company over so many years, and also thanked Wai Ling Liu warmly for her valuable contribution on strategic topics such as market and talent development. 

Farewell to Andreas Schmid by Renata Jacobs
Renata Jacobs honoring Andreas Schmid who is stepping down from Barry Callebaut's Board after serving for 20 years.

All other Board members, namely Patrick De Maeseneire, Fernando Aguirre, Jakob Baer, James Donald, Nicolas Jacobs, Timothy Minges and Juergen Steinemann were reelected for another term of office of one year.

The shareholders also approved the proposed payout of CHF 20.00 per share, an increase of +29% versus prior year. The payout will be effected partly in the form of a capital repayment by way of par value reduction (CHF 7.27 per share) and partly through a cash dividend (CHF 12.73 per share). The distribution of the part related to capital reduction will not be subject to withholding tax or – for individuals who are taxed in Switzerland and hold the shares privately – income tax. The payout to shareholders is expected to be executed on March 2, 2018.

KPMG AG, Zurich, was reelected as auditors of the company for fiscal year 2017/18.

Barry Callebaut’s fiscal year 2016/17 closed on August 31, 2017.

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